Best Gaming Monitors Under $200

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For many people, a PC is the only way to play. Consoles have their advantages, but computers have always had the better technology. One of the best things about a PC is that you can upgrade and enhance it over time, adding new parts and accessories to make your machine more powerful and capable of running the latest releases on the very best settings. However, one PC component that often gets overlooked is the monitor.

In general, when people set out to build a new PC, a lot of their focus gets placed on the processor and graphics card. They also need to think about RAM and storage options. So, by the time they’ve finished laying out all of their budget and investing in the best hardware to run their games, they don’t always have that much cash left to purchase a good quality display.

This essentially means that the monitor is often the most overlooked part of any PC, despite being of utmost importance. You’re going to be staring at that screen for hours on end over a period of several years, so you want to make sure you’re getting a good one. The price of monitors can vary from less than $100 to super deluxe models that come with price tags in excess of $750.

If you’ve already put most of your cash into other components of your PC and are looking for a relatively cheap but reliable monitor, we’re here to help. The monitors listed below all come with sub-$200 price tags, but still offer terrific performance levels and great visuals. These screens will let you enjoy your favorite games and other media with the clarity and quality you need.

Gaming Monitor Buying Guide

Selecting a new gaming monitor is a big decision, as it really is a ‘make or break’ part of any good gaming setup. After all, you’re going to be staring at that screen for a long time, and it makes no sense to invest in a super graphics card if you can’t actually appreciate those beautiful graphics on an attractive display. When shopping for your next gaming monitor, pay attention to the following factors in order to make the smartest buy.

Price

The price of gaming monitors can vary enormously, with more expensive models offering additional features, better resolutions, and larger screen sizes in general. For less than $200, it’s possible to find a good quality gaming monitor. As with any PC component, the more you pay, the better quality product you’ll get. A gaming monitor that costs $200 is almost always going to be superior than a monitor that costs $100, so it’s worth stretching your budget to its maximum to get the best model.

Screen size

Monitors, just like TVs or laptops, can come in various sizes, but the majority of gaming monitors tend to stick between 21 and 27 inches. 24 inches is usually considered the sweet spot, and this is the standard monitor size used in professional gaming tournaments. Since you’ll usually be sitting pretty close to the screen, it’s not really necessary to invest in a 30+ inch display, and a larger screen can actually hamper your gaming performance as you’ll need to literally move your head around to see all the information, rather than having it directly in your eye-line.

Resolution

Simply put, a higher resolution means there are more pixels on the screen, resulting in finer details and better image quality. However, going after the highest resolution for your gaming monitor isn’t always the smartest idea. For starters, many games don’t even run in 4K or 5K right now, so high fidelity displays like these aren’t really necessary. In addition, the bigger the resolution, the harder your system has to work to render graphics, so you have to buy a monitor with a resolution that suits the rest of your system. In general, a 1080p resolution, also marketed as Full HD, is perfectly satisfactory.

Refresh rate

The refresh rate, measured in Hertz (Hz) tells us how often the monitor refreshes per second. Again, a super high refresh rate is useless with the graphics card and processing power to back it up, but, as with many other tech specs, a higher number results in better performance here. A higher refresh rate means smoother images and higher potential frame rates.

Panel tech

There are three major times of panel technology being used in gaming monitors right now: TN, IPC, and VA. TN stands for twisted nematic and these are generally the cheapest monitors. They offer high refresh rates and fast response times, making them good for gaming, but can struggle with bold colors and tend to offer narrow viewing angles. VA stands for vertical alignment, and these are the slowest monitors but offer good contrast and image quality. Finally, IPS stands for in-plane switching, and monitors with this tech are usually the priciest but offer decent response times, vivid colors, and wide viewing angles.

Response time

Measured in milliseconds (ms), this reading tells us how responsive the monitor is. A faster (lower) response time results in smoother movements, while slower response times may cause a little blurring on the screen, especially during intense action games with a lot of movement and action.

Additional features

If you’re struggling to choose between two gaming monitors with similar specs, the additional features might help you make a decision. Good gaming monitor features can include things like easy calibration options, lots of input and output slots, swivel and tilt options on the stand, exclusive gaming modes, and more.

Now you know which features and tech specs you need to look for, let’s take a look at ten of the best gaming monitors you can buy for $200 or less today. The table below conveniently lists each product in price order, highlighting some key specifications in order to help you make a quick comparison. For individual overviews of each monitor, keep scrolling down.

1. Acer XFA240

It’s the most expensive item on our list, but it does more than enough to justify that price tag. Acer are known for making magical monitors but they really outdid themselves with this one. The XFA240 monitor features a 24 inch display, which is generally regarded as the perfect size for most users, and a 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution. The inclusion of AMD FreeSync helps to optimize gaming performance on AMD-equipped machines, while flicker-less tech also ensures that visuals remain smooth and tear-free.

In terms of technical specifications, you won’t find many models better than this one, with the XFA240 boasting a 144 Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. Not only that, but it’s also fitted out with multiple ports, including a display port and DVI. It also has a flexible, ergonomic stand with tilt, swivel, and pivot functionality. This highly ergonomic stand helps you find the ideal viewing angle without needing to move anything but the screen itself.

The in-built speakers aren’t as good as an external system or headset, but still better than most other monitor speakers. The quality of the visuals, meanwhile, is as good as you can hope to find at this price range. The TN technology used in the XFA240 can’t quite match the same vivid colors or wide viewing angles of an IPS screen, but games run beautifully on this monitor thanks to its awesome tech and features.

2. Acer GN246HL

We’re sticking with Acer, one of the best manufacturers of gaming hardware in the world right now, for this GN246HL monitor. A classy black bezel surrounds a 24 inch screen, boasting a 144 Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time, just like the XFA240. Technically-speaking, this model can match up with other monitors that come with much larger price tags, so if you’re looking for great value for less than $200, it’s a great buy.

The Full HD screen offers some beautiful visuals and gaming performance doesn’t get much better than this on TN technology. The GN246HL is also 3D-ready and comes with a variety of input and output options for PC and console gaming. It doesn’t come with any speakers, so you’ll need to invest in some external audio if you choose to buy this product, but that’s a small price to pay given the excellent visual quality.

The only cons we could find for this model are relatively minor. It comes out of the box with the brightness turned way up, so you’ll need to spend a little time configuring all the settings, and the wake-up time is a little slow compared to other models. The stand doesn’t offer the same movement as the XFA240 either, so this model isn’t quite as strong as its sibling, but it’s a little cheaper and offers incredible value.

Tech Specs

Size: 24 inches

Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Full HD

Refresh rate: 144 Hz

Response time: 1ms

Panel tech: TN

Additional features: 3D support, FlickerFree technology.

The Pros

Exceptional tech specs

Outstanding visual quality

Performs just as well as more expensive models

Super value

Plenty of ports for PC and console gaming

The Cons

No speakers

Ships with super high brightness settings that need adjusting

Relatively slow wake-up

Lack of flexibility in stand

3. ASUS VG245H

ASUS is well-known as one of the top gaming brands around and the first thing anyone will notice about this 24 inch VG245H monitor is its style. Many of the monitors on this list are relatively basic in terms of aesthetics, but this one is a real head-turner. The stand is particularly sleek and modern and the bezel looks great too. Fortunately, the visuals on-screen match up to the impressive build quality and style of the display.

With a 1ms response time and 75 Hz refresh rate, the VG245H isn’t quite as powerful as the Acer models above, but it still has more than enough in the tank to handle anything you can throw at it. This is an award-winning monitor, and it shows, but it does have one or two downsides like relatively tinny speaker audio and some complex calibration. Some users have also complained of dead pixels developing in the long-term.

ASUS has stashed in a lot of great features designed exclusively with gamers in mind like GameFast Input and AMD FreeSync, helping to cut out any input lag and offer the smoothest possible visuals. Flicker-Free tech is also included in this monitor, along with ASUS’ own GamePlus and GameVisual technology, with various pre-set modes to help you get the best images out of all gaming genres from FPS to RTS. It also comes with 3D support and offers a lot of longevity at a great price.

4. Samsung LS27E330HZX/ZA

If you’re looking for a larger screen at a sub-$200 price point, this Samsung LS27E330HZX/ZA monitor could be the one for you. It’s a TN display that measures up at 27 inches and boasts a super-fast response time of 1ms and a refresh rate of 60 Hz. The response time is excellent on paper and works well 99% of the time, but some users have complained of ghosting when playing fast-moving games.

The lack of a DVI port could be another downside to this model, but the crisp visuals offered on the 27 inch screen are a huge advantage. Often, Full HD screens of this size can lose a little clarity when compared with 24 inch alternatives, but this Samsung monitor offers fantastic performance to rival the likes of the ASUS VG245H. Samsung is one of the biggest brands in the world and has a great reputation for producing top class tech, so the quality of this monitor can come as no surprise.

Part of what makes the visuals so great on this display is the immense contrast and brightness settings. The 1000:1 contrast ratio is particularly impressive, and the inclusion of a specialized game mode is a nice advantage too. When turned on, this mode provides deeper blacks and more vivid colors overall, helping you play and appreciate games the way they were meant to be seen. The only other downside is that this monitor requires three separate button presses to turn off, which is needlessly inconvenient.

Tech Specs

Size: 27 inches

Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Full HD

Refresh rate: 60 Hz

Response time: 1ms

Panel tech: TN

Additional features: Multiple modes for gaming.

The Pros

Great response time

Crisp visuals

Impressive contrast and brightness settings

Typically high Samsung standard

The Cons

Complicated to turn off

Some ghosting despite fast response time

No DVI port

5. BenQ Zowie RL2455

BenQ is a big name in gaming monitors, with many hardcore users preferring this brand over all others. When you check out the Zowie RL2455, you’ll understand why. This monitor was made with gaming in mind, equipped with a range of preset modes for various game genres like FPS, RTS, and fighting, as well as multiple input slots for consoles and PCs. The 24 inch screen is just the right size for most gamers and the cost of this monitor is significantly cheaper than the Acer XFA240 or GN246HL.

Thanks to all of those gaming modes and the 1ms response time, one of the things that really stands out about the Zowie RL2455 is its total lack of input lag. If you’re switching to this display from an older model, you’ll really notice the difference. The super-fast speeds will definitely appeal to hardcore gamers on both PC and console, with a wide range of input options to suit all devices and set-ups.

Since this is a TN tech monitor, the viewing angles can be quite narrow and you need to find the right spot to really appreciate the screen. In addition, colors can seem a little washed out when seen alongside a VA or IPS display, but the visual quality is still excellent overall, once you’ve configured all the various settings. Unfortunately, the settings menus and buttons aren’t quite as intuitive as they could be, so the Zowie RL2455 may take a little getting used to at first.

Tech Specs

Size: 24 inches

Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Full HD

Refresh rate: 60 Hz

Response time: 1ms

Panel tech: TN

Additional features: In-built speakers. Multiple game modes.

The Pros

Excellent response time

Great for fast-paced games like FPS titles

Excellent for consoles too

Plenty of input options

The Cons

Narrow viewing angles

Colors can look a little washed out

Needlessly complicated to adjust settings

6. Sceptre C278W-1920R

A curved, 27 inch gaming monitor for less than $200? It might sound too good to be true, but this Sceptre C278W-1920R has brought the dream to reality. Curved displays are very popular at the moment, but every user reacts differently. Some don’t notice a huge change between curved and flat displays, while others vastly prefer the curved style which is designed to offer deeper levels of immersion.

That extra immersion can be a real boost for gaming, but one of the key issues with any curved screen is the viewing angle; you need to be in just the right spot to really get the best results from this display. The optimal viewing angle with this display is very narrow, but if you can set it up just right, you’ll be able to enjoy some superb visual performance on PC and console games.

Some users might be put off by the fact that this model isn’t manufactured by one of the biggest brands like Acer, ASUS, or LG, but if you can look past that, there’s a lot to like here. It takes a little time to set up too, with the stand not having the best build quality, but this is one of the only curved monitors you can find at this price point. So if a curved display and a big screen size appeal to you, the Sceptre C278W-1920R is definitely a decent choice.

Tech Specs

Size: 27 inches

Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Full HD

Refresh rate: 75 Hz

Response time: 5ms

Panel tech: VA

Additional features: Curved screen, In-built speakers.

The Pros

Curved screen

Works nicely with consoles too

Lots of input options

Large screen size

The Cons

Very narrow viewing angle

Less reputable brand

Poor quality stand can be difficult to set up

Colors need to be optimized

7. BenQ GW2760HL

Another highly rated gaming monitor from BenQ, the GW2760HL is a Full HD display with slim bezels and excellent performance levels. The contrast ratio of 3000:1 allows for some very impressive color production, and this is also one of the best value 27 inch displays money can buy right now. Clear whites and deep blacks really stand out on this monitor, so no matter what kind of game you choose to play, you’ll be getting some gorgeous graphics every time.

The speaker audio can’t come close to matching the excellent visuals, but weak speakers are a common issue with gaming monitors. Fortunately, the relatively low cost of this model compared to others like the Acer XFA240 or ASUS VG245H means that should have a little budget left to invest in some external audio, so the tinny speakers shouldn’t be a major issue for most users.

The only other downside to this model is the stand, which doesn’t have the same kind of tilt and swivel functionality as something like the ASUS VG245H. The classy display design and impressive visual clarity help to compensate for these minor issues, and the BenQ GW2760HL is particularly kind to the eyes, fitted with ZeroFlicker and Low Blue Light Plus technology to provide the smoothest frame rates and optimal optical comfort for long playing sessions.

Tech Specs

Size: 27 inches

Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Full HD

Refresh rate: 60 Hz

Response time: 4ms

Panel tech: VA

Additional features: ZeroFlicker technology, 2 x 1W speakers.

The Pros

Strong color production with high contrast settings

Large screen size, great for games and other media

Classy design

Kind to the eyes

The Cons

Poor speaker audio

Lack of flexibility in the stand

8. LG 25UM58-P

All of the other entries on our list feature a standard Full HD 1980 x 1080 resolution, but the LG 25UM58-P is the only one to offer something different. This monitor features an UltraWide 21:9 screen with a resolution of 2560 x 1080. The extra screen real estate makes this monitor ideal for multitasking of all kinds and perfect for modern games, offering a wider field of view that really comes in useful for FPS and RTS games, letting you see more of the playspace and have a real edge over your opponents.

The UltraWide screen is very attractive and provides some fantastic image quality, but it may take some getting used to if you’re coming from a standard 1980 x 1080 resolution. At first glance, the 25UM58-P might seem a little vertically challenged, but once you get used to it, you’ll wonder how you ever coped without a screen of this style.

The additional width also means that viewing angles are extra wide on this device, and the IPS tech helps in this respect too, while also offering better visuals than a typical TN monitor. The slightly slower response time might cause a little motion blur on certain fast-paced games, but it won’t be noticeable to most users. It’s also worth noting that this monitor has no speakers so you’ll need to hook it up to an external system.

Tech Specs

Size: 25 inches

Resolution: 2650 x 1080 Ultrawide Full HD

Refresh rate: 60 Hz

Response time: 5ms

Panel tech: IPS

Additional features: Multiple game modes.

The Pros

Big screen is great for multitasking

Exceptional image quality and viewing angles

Good value for an IPS display

Ultrawide resolution better than standard HD

The Cons

Wide screen needs some getting used to

No DVI port

Slow response times typical of IPS

No speakers

9. Acer R240HY

Finding an IPS screen at such a low price point is quite rare, so if this is the kind of monitor you need to complete your gaming set-up, the Acer R240HY is a fantastic pick. With a refresh rate of 60 Hz and response time of 4ms, it can match up to many other more expensive models, despite having a price tag closer to $100 than $200.

Of course, the super low price means that this device isn’t 100% perfect. Some ghosting has been reported by users and one of the most common issues is backlight bleeding, which specifically occurs in dark spaces. Essentially, this means that you can see some light in the corners of the screen, which can be a real immersion-breaker and means that the monitor struggles to convey deep blacks and dark scenes.

The IPS tech inside this monitor means it has very wide viewing angles and some very impressive visuals. The contrast and brightness options on this screen are much stronger than TN alternatives, and if you don’t mind dealing with the slightly slow response time, you’ll find a lot to love about this monitor. The super slim bezel means you get the maximum amount of screen space without any needless plastic, and this is a great choice for people who want to buy 2 or 3 monitors and stack them side-by-side.

Tech Specs

Size: 23.8 inches

Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Full HD

Refresh rate: 60 Hz

Response time: 4ms

Panel tech: IPS

Additional features: Flicker-less technology, EcoDisplay.

The Pros

Great price for an IPS display

Very slim bezels

Terrific image quality

Low price

Wide viewing angles

The Cons

Low refresh rate and slow response time compared to TN monitors

Some ghosting

Backlight bleeding in dark conditions

No in-built speakers

10. Acer KG221Q

The final and lowest priced display on our list is yet another entry from Acer, which really demonstrates just how well this brand dominates the monitor market. At 21.5 inches, this is also the smallest screen on our list, but that doesn’t necessarily need to be seen as a disadvantage. Depending on the space in which you intend to set up your PC, a smaller display might be all you need.

In general, PC users sit quite close to the screen, so 21.5 inches is just right for people who don’t wait to strain their eyes too much. In addition, the smaller size also results in some really strong visual quality, especially when compared to larger TN screens like the Samsung LS27E330HZX/ZA. On the downside, if you do happen to sit a little further back from the screen or want to appreciate it with friends, the small size may become a more noticeable negative factor.

The lightning fast response time and solid refresh rate give this screen all the firepower it needs to provide smooth gaming performance with no input lag or screen-tearing, and the inclusion of FreeSync technology is a big benefit for AMD users. On the downside, the colors can be slightly washed out and careful configuration is needed to get the best from this display. In addition, the speakers are quite tinny and the monitor emits a constant buzz whenever it’s turned on.

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